A journalist and lawyer, Gideon Tugume, has announced plans to file a Shs2 billion civil suit against the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and Kisubi Hospital, accusing them of unlawful arrest, abduction, prolonged detention, torture and carrying out medical procedures without his consent.
Speaking after his release, Tugume alleged that he was forcibly taken into military custody, detained for about 20 days, moved between several undisclosed locations and subjected to physical and psychological abuse before being taken to Kisubi Hospital, where he claims doctors conducted invasive medical examinations and procedures against his will.
According to Tugume, the planned lawsuit seeks compensation for what he describes as gross violations of his constitutional rights, including illegal detention, torture, invasion of privacy, medical negligence and breach of doctor-patient confidentiality.
“I am suing the UPDF and Kisubi Hospital for compensation of Shs2 billion,” Tugume said.
“Why did they arrest me? Why did they torture me? Why did they take me to the hospital, and more importantly, into the theatre? The UPDF should not take this as a joke. I was kidnapped, illegally arrested, unlawfully detained and tortured. Somebody must be held accountable.”
Alleged unlawful arrest and detention
Tugume maintains that he was arrested without a warrant and never informed of the offences for which he was being held. He alleges that throughout his detention, he was transferred to several military facilities across the country without being presented before a competent court, contrary to constitutional safeguards governing arrests and detention.
He further claims that the prolonged detention subjected him to severe physical and mental suffering, describing the ordeal as one of the darkest periods of his life.
According to his account, he was eventually taken to a Special Forces Command (SFC) facility in Kasenyi before being transferred under military escort to Kisubi Hospital.
Claims of forced medical treatment
One of the central claims in Tugume‘s intended lawsuit concerns what he describes as a medical procedure carried out without his knowledge or informed consent.
He alleges that while under armed military guard at Kisubi Hospital, doctors conducted an endoscopy and other medical examinations despite his objections.
“Kisubi Hospital conducted an endoscopy on me without my consent,” Tugume said.”I was under gunpoint. I never signed any consent forms. No one explained the procedure to me. I did not voluntarily agree to undergo any examination or surgery.”
He argues that every patient has the legal and ethical right to make informed decisions regarding medical treatment and that the hospital breached this obligation by proceeding with the procedure while he remained under military custody.
Alleged breach of medical confidentiality
Tugume also accuses the hospital of violating one of the fundamental principles governing medical practice by allegedly sharing his confidential medical information with military officers.He claims that after conducting blood tests and other examinations, hospital officials handed over the results to security personnel instead of communicating them directly to him as the patient.
“The hospital breached its duty of care by giving my medical information to third parties without my consent,” he said.”My medical results belonged to me. They should have been explained to me, not handed over to the people who had arrested and detained me.”
He further alleges that despite numerous laboratory tests being conducted, he has never received copies of the medical reports or any explanation regarding the findings.
“They took my blood, carried out numerous tests and, to this day, no medical results have ever been given or explained to me,” he said.
Identity allegedly altered
Another issue Tugume says will form part of his legal action concerns what he describes as the deliberate alteration of his identity while receiving treatment.
According to him, hospital records identified him as Tumwine Julius instead of his actual name, Gideon Tugume.
He claims he repeatedly informed medical personnel that the name was incorrect but alleges that the staff continued using the false identity throughout his treatment.
“They changed my name to Tumwine Julius instead of Gideon Tugume,” he said.”Even when I informed the doctors that those were not my names, they continued referring to me by a different identity.”
Tugume argues that the alleged use of false personal details raises serious questions regarding the circumstances under which he was admitted and treated.
Questions over medical procedures
The journalist says he remains uncertain why numerous blood samples were allegedly taken and what became of those results.
He contends that no medical explanation has ever been provided and believes the procedures may have served purposes unrelated to his healthcare.”With a sinister motive only known to themselves and the UPDF, they took several samples of my blood. To date, no results have been shared with me,” he alleged.
He says the intended lawsuit will seek judicial scrutiny into the conduct of both the military personnel who escorted him to the hospital and the medical staff who allegedly treated him.
Seeking accountability
Tugume says the compensation he is seeking is intended not only to address the personal suffering he claims to have endured but also to establish accountability for alleged violations committed during his detention.
He argues that the case raises broader constitutional questions regarding the treatment of civilians in military custody, respect for due process and adherence to medical ethics when treating patients under security detention.
Among the issues he wants the court to determine are whether his arrest complied with the law, whether his detention was lawful, whether he was subjected to torture, whether informed consent was obtained before any medical procedures were undertaken and whether confidential patient information was unlawfully disclosed.
If filed, the civil suit is expected to name the UPDF, the Chief of Defence Forces, Kisubi Hospital and any other parties his lawyers deem responsible for the alleged violations.
At the time of his remarks, the UPDF and Kisubi Hospital had not publicly responded to the specific allegations outlined by Tugume. Any court proceedings arising from the matter will provide an opportunity for all parties to present their evidence and responses before the court.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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